i think the bullseye was already there. he had something he spent his life working for and the grasshoppers decided they wanted to take it all. he said no.

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"Gun control: The theory that a woman found dead in an alley, raped and strangled with her panty hose, is somehow morally superior to a woman explaining to police how her attacker got that fatal bullet wound." ó L. Neil Smith

The problem with being stupid is you cannot simply decide to stop doing dumb things...

I find it interesting that with so many people here defending and celebrating what it means to be American (i.e., gun rights), that there would be this much animosity towards these people involved in democracy at its best. There will always be trouble makers. Unfortunately there is an anarchist element, especially on the West Coast that jumps on these oppurtunities to vandalize and incite police and crowds into riots. A Veteran that served 2 tours of duty in Iraq "defending our freedom" was nearly killed by Oakland police. He will undergo months if not years of rehab due to his injury. Lucky to be alive, really. And he was here, in our country doing something that he fought for you and I and who ever the hell else wants to be able to do. How freaking ironic. Now I will get off my soap box and pose a question specifically to this article. Isn't having a loaded firearm in a public place illegal unless one posesses a concealed permit? I mean, we're talking Oakland, CA here. Did this individual perceive some imminent threat to life? People were simply eyeing his building. Wouldn't what he did be considered brandishing? And would he have seriously shot how many people and how many times because they could have possibly been smashing windows and looting? I don't know the answers to all of these questions so maybe you can enlighten me. I think what this guy did was hot headed and foolish. Here on the forum there is a tremendous amount of discussion regarding when you should draw your weapon and when you should use it, etc. No one wants to go to prison and/or lose their concealed permit for breaking the law and unjustly shooting anyone. What makes this situation different? Is it just because he was defending his livelihood from hippie liberal drug using dirtbags? I mean put yourself in that guy's shoes. Are you going to start busting caps in arses because someone breaks your window? Or because they are stealing your car stereo out of your driveway? Go ahead and see how fast you get cuffed and stuffed.

here in Texas we can protect our property with deadly force. If a mob is coming down the street, burning and looting as they come, we're permitted to protect ourselves and our property. We're even allowed to protect our neighbor's property.

I for one,have enough ammunition to protect myself, my wife, and my house, and will defend all of us to the best of my ability.

I find it interesting that with so many people here defending and celebrating what it means to be American (i.e., gun rights), that there would be this much animosity towards these people involved in democracy at its best. There will always be trouble makers. Unfortunately there is an anarchist element, especially on the West Coast that jumps on these oppurtunities to vandalize and incite police and crowds into riots. A Veteran that served 2 tours of duty in Iraq "defending our freedom" was nearly killed by Oakland police. He will undergo months if not years of rehab due to his injury. Lucky to be alive, really. And he was here, in our country doing something that he fought for you and I and who ever the hell else wants to be able to do. How freaking ironic. Now I will get off my soap box and pose a question specifically to this article. Isn't having a loaded firearm in a public place illegal unless one posesses a concealed permit? I mean, we're talking Oakland, CA here. Did this individual perceive some imminent threat to life? People were simply eyeing his building. Wouldn't what he did be considered brandishing? And would he have seriously shot how many people and how many times because they could have possibly been smashing windows and looting? I don't know the answers to all of these questions so maybe you can enlighten me. I think what this guy did was hot headed and foolish. Here on the forum there is a tremendous amount of discussion regarding when you should draw your weapon and when you should use it, etc. No one wants to go to prison and/or lose their concealed permit for breaking the law and unjustly shooting anyone. What makes this situation different? Is it just because he was defending his livelihood from hippie liberal drug using dirtbags? I mean put yourself in that guy's shoes. Are you going to start busting caps in arses because someone breaks your window? Or because they are stealing your car stereo out of your driveway? Go ahead and see how fast you get cuffed and stuffed.

The short answer to your questions is, YES. I would shoot someone to protect my property simply because in Iowa we can do that, I would also help my neighbor out too since Iím also by law allowed to do that. On the Scott Olsen issue yes he was a veteran that dishonored himself, his service, his country, and his fellow Marines. Not to mention that he was a Communications guy with a Comm unit and Iím willing to say he never left the wire. Iím pretty sure the 1st Amendment also has that ďpeacefully assembleĒ clause in it, well at least the one I read did. I donít think any of us can say what actually happened in his case. Some reports of bottles and rocks being thrown at the police, the video well we all know can be edited. Donít get me wrong, Iím not saying that the cops were totally in the right because they werenít, especially when they threw the CS canister into the crowd that was trying to help him. As far as the legality of this owner brandishing a weapon while he was in his property, Iím pretty sure thatís legal, even in California. Most states have laws that extend to a personís place of business if they are the owner of that business or property. Iím not familiar with California laws, but just giving my opinion. The difference in this situation is that an owner of a property, perceived a threat, whether it was perceived towards his life thatís hard to say since none of us were actually in that situation. As for me, Iím going to back the owner on this and now Iím off my soap box.

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"Regardless of whether justified of not, you will feel sad about killing another human being. It is better to be sad than to be room temperature." - Joe B Fricks.

Ok... Protecting your property could mean lots of things. It could mean a mob is setting fire to the family farm that's been around for 159 years. That's one thing. But your property also means your things. Would you shoot someone for breaking into your car? Would you shoot them as they were carrying your giant flatscreen out your front door?

Ok... Protecting your property could mean lots of things. It could mean a mob is setting fire to the family farm that's been around for 159 years. That's one thing. But your property also means your things. Would you shoot someone for breaking into your car? Would you shoot them as they were carrying your giant flatscreen out your front door?

Breaking into the car, yes. Walking out the front door with the big screen, no, they are "in retreat" and are no longer a threat to home and property.

What are you going to do? Stand by and yell? I had a guy try to steal my truck quite a while back. I caught him at it (dumb bass couldn't drive a stick shift). When I dragged him out of the truck, I was just going to let him go. That is, until he kicked me in the kneecap on my bad knee and started screaming at me calling me a "cracker". That earned the oak stick that I had laying in the back (cabinet making material).

Ok... Protecting your property could mean lots of things. It could mean a mob is setting fire to the family farm that's been around for 159 years. That's one thing. But your property also means your things. Would you shoot someone for breaking into your car? Would you shoot them as they were carrying your giant flatscreen out your front door?

You like what I have, your best bet is to get a job and buy it yourself. Because if someone is stealing my stuff? They won't like the end result. And no, if they are in 'retreat', I put the gun in the holster and they get to tote home a major beating, after they get out of jail.
I have no tolerance for thieves in the least. And any time a thief gets stomped to the ground or sentenced to prison I smile.

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What part of 'shall not be infringed' confuses people?